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The No. 1 question this founder likes to ask in a job interview: ‘You can't hide at a small company'

Social media personality Katie Sturino attends the New York premiere of “It Ends With Us” at at AMC Lincoln Square in New York, August 6, 2024.
Charly Triballeau | Afp | Getty Images

Social media personality Katie Sturino attends the New York premiere of “It Ends With Us” at at AMC Lincoln Square in New York, August 6, 2024.

"My thighs rub together. My boobs sweat. And my B.O. is the worst!" says Katie Sturino on her company's website. "I couldn't find products I loved to address issues like these, so I started Megababe!"

Megababe creates and sells "clean" body care products such as deodorant made of coconut and willow bark extract and a shaving stick made of sea moss and ginger root oil. Sturino founded the company in 2017 after working first in public relations then as an influencer, and Megababe products are now sold at major retailers including Target and Walmart.

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In its eight years, Megababe has grown to a team of 11, says Sturino. When it comes to how she susses out whether someone is a good fit for the team, there's one question she likes to ask above all: "What's the most consistent piece of negative feedback you get?" she tells CNBC Make It.

Here's why.

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'You can't hide at a small company'

Sturino wants "to see your mess," she says, or a candidate's weaknesses.

That's because on a team as small as Megababe's, employees' shortcomings can be revealed very quickly. Everyone's working closely together and likely taking on multiple roles.

"You can't hide at a small company," she says.

The other reason she wants to know what a prospective employee might need help with is so that she can prepare ahead of time. "I need to know on the backend what else I'm going to deal with and how we can help you improve on that," she says. "I'm not scared of that."

'Every single person has a mess'

Sturino isn't the only one looking for the truth when they ask a question about shortcomings in a job interview.

"We all have weaknesses, and we need to admit what we're not good at," Tom Gimbel, CEO of the staffing agency LaSalle Network, previously told Make It. What employers want to see is that you're self-aware and that you've thought of solutions to your challenges as a worker.

If you're interviewing for jobs and get asked a similar question, remember that "every single person has a mess," says Sturino, and show your prospective employer how you've worked to overcome it.

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